Greenshift

by Heidi Ruby Miller

  David twisted Ward’s arm and brought it down hard over his raised knee. The appendage didn’t snap, but Ward cried out with the pain. A flash of disbelief, then fear invaded Ward’s eyes. David seized him by the throat with one hand, slamming him back to the concrete. Then David was on top of him, smashing his fist into Ward’s face repeatedly.

  The rumors that Armadans snapped into a crazed berserker mode when pushed too far held a bit of truth to them. That they could switch on aggressor genes was ludicrous, a dark parable the Embassy perpetuated to frighten children or to give themselves a false sense of control over their own military. The spike of adrenaline and single-minded focus David was experiencing right now had nothing to do with the switching on of genes—it was pure bloodlust.

  The more Ward’s blood splashed onto the concrete, the more of it David wanted. He was certain the bones in his fingers had fractured, but not as badly as Ward’s jaw and orbital socket.

  “If you don’t finish him off, I’ll just pretend he fell.” Killian’s voice barely registered.

  “David.” Sean spoke up. “That guy’s not worth it. We have a way out of this and we need to go. For Mari.”

  Those last words stopped David’s fist mid-swing. “Why the out, Killian?”

  The contractor grinned. “Ward liked to score points with my superiors…by running his mouth. You helped me shut his mouth.”

  The son-of-a-bitch wanted me to do his dirty work.

  David stood up. “I’m not sure Ward will remember falling.”

  “As badly as you beat him, I’m not sure Ward will remember much of anything.” Killian nudged Ward’s arm with the toe of his boot. “But, I’ll make sure he remembers it the right way.”

  “Why not finish him?” David asked.

  “He’s married to my half-sister, and she happens to be my favorite.” Killian said the last part in a way that left nothing open for interpretation.

  “What about the other two?” Sean inclined his chin toward the female and other male sprawled unconscious and bleeding on the concrete.

  “I had to make it look legit,” Killian said. “But I’d suggest you leave now before one of them wakes up and sees us talking all nice-like.”

  “How legit is it going to look if you don’t have a scratch on you?” Sean asked before spinning around and clocking Killian in the jaw.

  David thought he was going to see Sean get his head blown off, but Killian just rubbed his jaw and said between clenched teeth, “Guess I don’t have to worry about that now.”

  “Let’s go, Sean,” David warned.

  He didn’t trust Killian in the least, but they were wasting time. He’d face the consequences of this run-in later he was sure, but he would take the out.

  Killian kept a cender pointed between them as David and Sean backed around the cargo container to rejoin the main dock. Then they ran for the fast track.

  We can’t catch a break.

  “I guess we should have expected someone to notice a missing fast track,” David said.

  They stared at the empty section of waterfront where they had made their impromptu docking. Nothing but the lapping remnants of a distant ferry’s wake. Every second they lost bouncing around here at Shiraz ripped Mari further away from him.

  “We’ll have trouble following the Thrall on our own at this rate,” Sean said. “The Bard is faster than a freighter any day, but we’re playing catch up now. We need help, specifically their flight plan.”

  “On it.” David sent a transmission to his brother as they headed toward the industrial dock’s exit. Thankfully, security wasn’t as tight leaving the area.

  His reporter buzzed and a screen opened across his palm. A pretty female trooper, her blonde hair twisted into an elegant braid crowning her head, responded to David’s call.

  “Captain Anlow.” She saluted. “Petty Officer First Class Alexa Collins, sir.”

  Habit almost had him saluting back. He didn’t recognize the young woman, but he’d been in command of an entire warship just last year, so thousands of troopers knew his face. Talk about another lifetime.

  “Petty Officer Collins, is Lieutenant Anlow available? This is an emergency.”

  “Your brother’s on bunk time, but I’ll notify him immediately to report for your call to the nearest communications port.”

  “Thank you.”

  “May I just say quickly, sir, that it was an honor to serve under you on the Protector last year.”

  A lump caught in David’s throat. He couldn’t fall into the regret of nostalgia right now. Not with Mari’s life on the line.

  “Thank you, Petty Officer,” was all he said before ending the transmission.

  “We’re drawing our share of attention,” Sean said.

  Passersby gave David and Sean a wide berth. Both men were dirty and bruised. Sean had blood trickling down his arm and part of his face, and a scorch mark blazed across David’s back.

  “I hope we can get out of here without running into any guards,” David said.

  “Or more contractors.”

  Mari didn’t have time for them to be questioned.

  “I have an idea.” Sean veered toward the roadway abutting the berths. Before David could ask him what the hell he was thinking Ben’s return call came through. David didn’t wait for him to say hello.

  “I need you to track a freighter called Thrall 7. Dale Zapona has Mari on that ship. It just left berth six-two-four from Shiraz.”

  Ben repeated the request to Petty Officer Collins. If Ben were bunking this close to the command center onboard ship, it meant he was either in the process of a multiple-day briefing or debriefing. When David was a junior officer, he hated the latter more—higher ups calling you in for questioning at all hours, ripping you from sleep to confirm or deny some ridiculous detail. Then he became a ship’s captain and found it was indeed necessary to put his officers and troopers through the same exercise, just like he was doing to poor Ben. Except David couldn’t remember a more dire situation.

  “We’re requesting their flight plan. As soon as I get it, I’ll transmit it to you. I’m going to match it against their route, too, just in case it’s bogus.” Redness rimmed Ben’s eyes, but he never gave an indication of being bothered. Not so much as a yawn. He was a good soldier, a good brother, and probably David’s best friend.

  “Thanks.”

  “What else can I do?”

  Sean suddenly zipped out in front of a transport heading their way. David thought for sure Sean would be run over, but the driver squealed to a halt so close to him, Sean pounded on the hood before running to confront the man inside.

  “Nothing. Unless you can send a gunship after them.” David almost wished Ben had that kind of power, but that would be abuse of authority. Then Ben would be in as much trouble as David was right now.

  “You know I would if I could.”

  The transport driver shouted as Sean manhandled him out of his seat.

  “I have to go, Ben. I’ll be waiting for that flight plan.”

  David joined Sean at the transport, shoving the ousted driver aside and jumping into the passenger seat.

  EIGHTEEN

  Mari opened her mouth to scream, but water rushed in. She inhaled and choked. Her hands batted around her in a panic as she forced her eyes open against the pressure of the blurring liquid.

  Calloused hands jostled her out from under the running water.

  “David?” He was saving her from drowning.

  She searched for his face, but stared at a man she didn’t recognize…at first.

  “Did you forget about me already?” Carlos’ voice brought all the horrifying reality of the day rushing back at her.

  “Where are we?” She glanced around to get her bearings. From the rancid smell, she thought it might be a bathroom or a filthy, mildewed shower stall, but there were no walls separating this part of the five meter square room from the rest of it. Carlos turned the water off from a spigot sticking out of a ceramic tile w
all halfway up. The drain just below it swallowed the liquid slowly, belching some of it back. She gagged as it brought the putrid smell up into the room.

  Carlos dragged her by one arm across the tile floor back onto a rubberized base like that in the commonway. The unforgiving surface chafed against her bare legs. But that pain seemed small compared to how her jaw throbbed. And her teeth felt loose. When she attempted deeper breaths, her chest burned, so she stuck to shallow breathing—it helped with the smell in any event.

  A bunk with rumpled bedding was fastened to one wall while a single metal chair sat in the opposite corner.

  “Do I have to chain you to that wall the whole way to Sinder Isle or are you going to do what you’re told?” Carlos loomed over her.

  She lowered her gaze, not wanting to look at him. “I’ll do what I’m told.” She was too exhausted to do much of anything. Besides, she would have no chance of escape if she were shackled inside this room.

  “That’s a good girl,” he said.

  She didn’t like the insinuation in his tone.

  “Stand up.”

  She pushed off the floor and tried her shaky legs, but still avoided his scrutinizing stare. She wrapped her arms around herself, and not just to ward off the sudden chill of being soaked.

  Carlos moved toward her. He pushed her chin up to study her face. “Are those freaky eyes the first thing you see when you look in the mirror? Chairman Zapona thinks that means your genes are worthless. You’re no better than Lower Caste trash as far as he’s concerned.”

  She twisted away from him. The insult stung her like a slap across the face.

  Carlos reached to touch her again, but she backed away from him.

  He snorted. “You don’t have to be shy. Your fucked up genes don’t bother me. I’ve docked my share of Lowers. They bend over and take it just like any other woman.”

  “I’m not a Lower.”

  Mari attempted to put more space between them, but realized he had backed her against the wall. Placing his hands against the space on either side of her, he penned her in. She turned her head to the side because she felt smothered by his chest.

  He leaned down and whispered against her neck, sending waves of nausea and fear through her stomach. “You know, if you’re into Armadans, one is just as good as another.” He pressed so close to her she could feel his erection through his pants. “It’ll make the trip go faster. I won’t be as rough as Stavros will be, but I do owe you for that kick to the balls you gave me at launch.”

  Carlos jammed his hips into hers, smashing her pelvis against the wall painfully. She tried to wedge her arms between them to push him off, but couldn’t move.

  “You’re just a tiny thing, young too. I bet your pilot likes that. Means you’re tight.”

  Mari shook, but finally looked at Carlos with what she hoped was overwhelming defiance. “You don’t know anything about him.”

  “He was a fleet officer. Even if I hadn’t read his official record, his arrogant bearing would have given him away. I hated the officers when I was in the Armada, always taking away my privileges for one infraction or another. It’s going to feel good to take something from one of them.” Carlos sucked on her neck.

  “Get away from me.” She tried to shove him again, but he snatched her upper arms in an iron grip, then grabbed one of her breasts so tightly it brought tears to her eyes.

  She spit in his face.

  He wiped the mess off with the back of his hand slowly, then in a lightning fast motion grabbed her by the hair and pulled tight, jerking her neck painfully to the side.

  “I like your fight,” Carlos said. “But save it for Stavros. You’ll need it with that psychopath because no matter what I do to you, he’ll do worse.”

  “That may be.” Dale’s voice bounced around in the sparse room. “But he’ll also want our little blonde as pristine as possible upon delivery. Why else do you think he wants them so young? As much debt as you have, Carlos, I’m sure you won’t want to ruin a payday like last time. She’s not worth it. Find a Lower at a flesh club who looks like her, then play out your revenge fantasies.”

  It took a moment, but Carlos finally pushed away from the wall.

  Now that she had a little space, Mari felt bolder. “Is this what you planned last year when you hired me on Deleine?” She searched the ceiling until she spotted a camera in one corner. She walked over to stand just below it, knowing Dale was looking down on her.

  “Why else would I bother with you?” His voice now crackled from behind her.

  She noticed the speakers set into the ceiling.

  “Ironically, the only thing of value you have to offer me is your genetic pollution. Because let’s face it. You’re not much of a scientist.”

  Carlos chuckled.

  “Now settle in. We’ll be there before you know it.”

  Mari watched Carlos until the door slid closed behind him. Tears rolled down her cheeks so she kept her back to the camera. Dale wouldn’t have the satisfaction. She surveyed the steel walls of her temporary prison and suddenly became paralyzed by her fear and humiliation. How did her world morph into this nightmare so fast? This morning she had woken up in David’s arms, feeling like she could conquer the world, get her career back on track, live the life she had planned. Her conscious mind barely accepted this sudden reversal.

  Probably because acceptance would mean the end for her.

  NINETEEN

  I’m going to kill you in a hundred different ways.

  As David prepared the Bard for takeoff, he imagined all of Dale Zapona’s deaths—each one slower and messier than the last one.

  The black torbernite floor of the bridge threatened to swallow David, just like the darkness of his mood. Maybe because it felt as though the gun metal grey walls pressed a little closer with each ticking minute. Even the late afternoon sun glittering on the bay out of the cockpit window mocked him, reminding him he couldn’t freeze time for Mari. Or reverse it, taking them back to this morning, wrapped in the colorful cheer of her room. He’d tell her to forget about her meeting with Dale, convince her to stay in bed all day, delighting in their new closeness.

  David blamed himself as much for Mari’s abduction as he did Dale. The guilt and helplessness of waiting slashed away the calm David had barely regained after his encounter with the contractors. For the first time in decades, David had succumbed to bloodlust. Ward was the hapless, though not innocent, victim. Throughout David’s service in the fleet, he’d seen bloodlust many times in some of his troopers, and he had only a few times experienced that blinding aggression to which Armadans were genetically prone. The sensation still echoed through his veins.

  As he waited for clearance to leave, he stared at the vid of Mari and him kissing on Shiraz Dock. Ben had sent it in the guise of a joke yesterday, but David knew his brother was actually sentimental and figured David would want to keep the memory. Ben was right. David had come to cherish this little clip of his life since Dale had taken Mari from him.

  Maybe David should have gone to the authorities, but he had no real proof that Mari was even with the man. Perhaps Ben had found out something else in this last half hour. But then he would have contacted David immediately with any news. It was wishful thinking…and wishes were for children.

  I will bring you home, Mari.

  Funny how, not two days ago, David hadn’t accepted the Bard as home, but now that he associated the ship with Mari it felt like theirs.

  Footsteps sounded in the commonway leading to the bridge. David closed the air screen.

  “I have their flight plan.” Sean stepped inside and walked through the emptiness where Mari and David’s image had been a second before.

  How Sean managed to obtain the Thrall‘s flight plan before Ben’s fleet connections would be a topic for conversation later. Right now David was just grateful for the information.

  Solimar Robbins entered behind Sean and strapped into the crash couch on the far wall of the bridge. Normally
she stayed in her suite during takeoff and landing because of her sensitivity to g-forces. David hoped she was here now out of concern for Mari and not so she would have a first-hand account of whatever happened for her archives.

  “Feed me the coordinates.” David prompted the holo-controls. A glowing, transparent orb enveloped the pilot’s chair.

  Sean had already called up the co-pilot’s seat and its controls. The simmering anger David held in check heated to a boil. Not because it was Sean sitting in the chair beside David, but because it wasn’t Mari.

  “I uploaded the projected route and where they should be along it at this point,” Sean said. “We might not be able to intercept them before they reach Deleine.”

  “You said the Bard could catch a freighter any day,” David snapped. A lot could happen to Mari on the Thrall during that time, none of which he was prepared to face.

  Sean’s tone was even and a little quiet. “On the short run we could because we have speed in the beginning, but the freighter picks up its pace exponentially the further it goes. We max out.”

  “Even if you add another cylinder to our reactor?”

  “I already have. It’s loaded and ready to kick in once we clear atmosphere, but we’d be lucky to catch them before they land. Maybe a few hours afterward, but….”

  David stared at his controls. “You’re sure?”

  “Yeah. In fact, I was being generous with the odds. It doesn’t make me feel too good either.”

  “I can’t believe this is happening,” Solimar said barely above a whisper.

  Neither can I.

  The comm sounded with a go ahead for lift-off from Shiraz. He wouldn’t give up while there was still a chance. And maybe Ben could come through with some unauthorized fleet help after all.

  TWENTY

  “Stop watching me!”

  Mari stared at the corner camera. The little green light below its lens stared back at her. She was sure that behind that lens Dale, or worse, Carlos was observing everything she did in this little prison cell.